ly affect the _Almighty_, any Man of common
Understanding may easily judge.

But let them apply my Argument on the _Sovereignty of_ God against
the _Certainty_ of their Election, and I believe they will find but
little Reason to boast of their Doctrine of electing Grace. They
tell us indeed, that this Doctrine of theirs, makes the Death of
_Christ_ of more Effect than ours, because it secures the Salvation
of _some_. But I have proved there can be no Security in it; and
surely that Doctrine, which _puts all_ into a Capacity of Salvation,
must be better, than that, which leaves _almost every Man_ to
perish; and if it was better to save a few, than to save none in
this arbitrary Manner, it must still have been better and more to
the Glory of _Christ_, arbitrarily to have saved all Mankind. They
say also, that their Doctrine of Election is a much better Ground
for Love and good Works, than is that of _free Grace_. But the
contrary is apparent, because whoever thinks rightly, cannot be
without this disquieting Thought.--If God, in a mere arbitrary
Manner, and without any Regard to previous Fitness, has chosen me,
and rejected another; how do I know but his Mind may change
hereafter, or that he may not reverse this Decree? or if
_unconditional Election_ be the true Doctrine of the Gospel, and Man
is _equally dear_ and acceptable to God _without_, as he is _with_,
good Works, what Inducement can such a Person have to please God
that Way, when he is already as well pleased without them? If
Election is founded upon an _unconditional Decree_, the natural
Inference (in all such as believe the Doctrine, and themselves to be
of the Elect) must be this--If I am of the Number of the Elect,
nothing can frustrate my Happiness; I may gratify my favourite
Passions, and wallow in all Kinds of Wickedness, Luxury and
Sensuality, and be equally acceptable to the Almighty, as was
_David_ in the Sins of Murder and Adultery: On the contrary, if I am
not of that Number which shall be saved, all my Pains and Obedience
will never procure me Acceptance with God, and therefore I _will
seek_ all possible Gratifications in this Life, seeing it is the
only Time and Place wherein I can obtain any Thing like Happiness;
nor can the Liberty I take here increase my Misery hereafter, the
_precise Degree_ of _that_ being fixed along with the Decree of my
Damnation: Though this Persuasion of being set apart for everlasting
Torment, has more often the Effects